CO2 efflux from a red wood ant mound in a boreal forest
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-24-2005
Department
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Abstract
Although it is known that small changes in boreal soil carbon (C) fluxes may affect the global soil C balance, our knowledge of the variability in the origin and magnitude of boreal soil C fluxes is still limited. Red wood ant (RWA; Formica rufa group) mounds can be found in high densities in boreal forests, but little is known about how these mounds influence forest soil C dynamics. We developed a dynamic closed-loop chamber system to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) effluxes from a RWA mound and tested the results against measurements of forest floor C fluxes made with a commercial respirometer. The two methods yielded comparable results. CO2 efflux from a RWA mound as measured with the new system was significantly higher than that from the surrounding forest floor. The result suggests that RWA mounds are CO2 "hot spots" within a forest. More investigations would be necessary to evaluate the role of RWA mounds in ecosystem C dynamics.
Publication Title
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
Recommended Citation
Ohashi, M.,
Finér, L.,
Domisch, T.,
Risch, A.,
&
Jurgensen, M.
(2005).
CO2 efflux from a red wood ant mound in a boreal forest.
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology,
130(1-2), 131-136.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2005.03.002
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/5910